Best Chocolate Chip Cookies, Really.

When I was young, my sisters and I would stand on stools next to my mom and perform such critical chocolate chip cooking baking tasks as sifting the flour (which you may note, is not actually a part of this recipe...) and greasing the cookie sheet. For every classroom birthday (where you get to bring in treats to school on your birthday)...I would bring in oatmeal cookies; usually, I assisted in making these, meaning they came in to school as somewhat lumpy, often smashed, versions of the original. Whenever I returned home from college for any reason...oatmeal cookies were waiting on the counter. And, when I was in Mexico, my mom made these cookies in large quanities, froze them, and sent them down as a taste from home. I have a long, wonderful history with these cookies and intend to eat them forever. I have decided to post this recipe for your eating enjoyment, should anyone else also want to eat them forever.

Since I use so many choc chips, I have cut the sugar significantly...if you are sparse on chips (or substitute with nuts), you may want to compensate with 1/4c more white and brown sugar (each).

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1/2c veg shortening
1/2c margarine (or butter, if you want a butter flavor)
2 eggs
-mix above ingredients and beat smooth-
2.5 c oats
1/4-1/3 c white sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
1 t vanilla
1t baking soda mixed in 1T hot water
-Mix all well-
1.25c flour
1t salt
-Mix all very briefly-
LOTS of choc chips. Usually one full small bag of semisweet, but just add what looks good to you.
-Mix, and eat dough (beware salmonella and other raw-egg dangers...this is my disclaimer)
- Grease cookie sheet and bake at 350 approx 12 minutes (or at 375 for less time....still turn out well). They should be about to brown, but not browning yet.

Yum! They freeze wonderfully, so make a double batch for twice the eating pleasure.